The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations hosted a significant event in New York to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Hindi Diwas. Held on November 22, the occasion marked 75 years since Hindi was adopted as one of India’s official languages on September 14, 1949.
A delegation of Indian Members of Parliament, including Birendra Prasad Baishya, Pradan Baruah, Sushmita Dev, Akshay Yadav, Sandhya Ray, Tejasvi Surya, and Bansuri Swaraj, participated in the event. The gathering also saw representation from over 40 countries, with Permanent Representatives (PRs), Deputy PRs, UN officials, academics, diaspora members, and winners of Hindi competitions in attendance.
Birendra Prasad Baishya highlighted the growing global recognition of Hindi, noting its increasing relevance in international politics and diplomacy. He praised the inclusion of Hindi in the UN's Multilingualism Resolution, a milestone achieved in September 2024.
Indian Ambassador to the UN, P Harish, spoke about Hindi’s role in fostering national integration in India’s diverse cultural and linguistic landscape. Representatives from other nations echoed similar sentiments. The PR of Mauritius emphasized the language’s significance in preserving cultural identity, while the PR of Nepal noted the shared linguistic heritage of Hindi and Nepali. Suriname’s Deputy PR pointed out that Hindi is part of the country’s school curriculum, and the Deputy PR of Guyana commended its influence on the cultural fabric of her nation.
The Director of Global Communications at the UN lauded India’s efforts in promoting Hindi on an international stage, particularly through the establishment of the Hindi Project at the UN.
The event also included competitions in essay writing, poetry, and recitation in Hindi, with winners receiving awards. The celebration underscored Hindi’s evolving role as a global language and its enduring cultural and diplomatic significance.